Fix support for desktop files with DBusActivatable=true

[marmarek]

According to Desktop Entry Specification:

If the value is true then implementations should ignore the Exec key and send a D-Bus message to launch the application. See D-Bus Activation for more information on how this works. Applications should still include Exec= lines in their desktop files for compatibility with implementations that do not understand the DBusActivatable key.

Apparently our current solution (usage of glib to handle desktop files) does not handle those files correctly
Details here: https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/qubes-users/557CD10B.8020908%40gmail.com

[marmarek]

Setting priority to major, since this affects basic applications like Nautilus.

[marmarek]

Setting priority to major, since this affects basic applications like Nautilus.

[nrgaway]

I wrote a fix (referenced in that thread) that may work.

[nrgaway]

I wrote a fix (referenced in that thread) that may work.

[nrgaway]

I stopped working on it since it seemed you had corrected the issue. Want me to continue to work on it?

user@untrusted:~/src$ cat qubes-desktop-run
#! /usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# vim: set ft=python ts=4 sw=4 sts=4 et :

import sys
from gi.repository import Gio, GLib

def main(myname, desktop, *files):
    info = Gio.DesktopAppInfo()
    dbus_activate = False

    try:
        launcher = info.new_from_filename(desktop)
    except TypeError:
        launcher = None

    if launcher:
        dbus_activate = launcher.get_boolean('DBusActivatable')

    if not dbus_activate:
        launcher.launch(files, None)

    else:
        #import subprocess
        #if dbus_activate:
        #    print launcher.get_id().replace('.desktop', '')
        #    process = subprocess.Popen(['gapplication', 'launch', launcher.get_id().replace('.desktop', '')], close_fds=True)
        #return

        # (Gio.DBusConnection) – A Gio.DBusConnection
        session = Gio.bus_get_sync(Gio.BusType.SESSION, None)

        # (Gio.DBusProxyFlags) – Flags used when constructing the proxy.
        flags = Gio.DBusProxyFlags.NONE  

        # (Gio.DBusInterfaceInfo|None) – A Gio.DBusInterfaceInfo specifying the minimal interface that proxy conforms to or None.
        info = None

        # (str or None) – A bus name (well-known or unique) or None if connection is not a message bus connection.
        app_id = launcher.get_id()
        if app_id.endswith('.desktop'):
            app_id = app_id[:-8]

        # (str) – An object path.
        object_path = '/' + app_id.replace('.', '/').replace('-', '_')

        # (str) – A D-Bus interface name.
        interface_name = 'org.freedesktop.Application'

        # cancellable (Gio.Cancellable or None) – A Gio.Cancellable or None.
        cancellable = None

        proxy = Gio.DBusProxy.new_sync(session, 
                                       flags,
                                       info,
                                       app_id,
                                       object_path,
                                       interface_name,
                                       cancellable
                                       )

        builder = GLib.VariantBuilder.new(GLib.VariantType.new('r'))

        if files:
            builder.open(GLib.VariantType.new('as'))
            for filename in files:
                print 'Adding ', filename
                builder.add_value(GLib.Variant('s', filename))
            builder.close()

        builder.open(GLib.VariantType.new('a{sv}'))
        #startup_id = GLib.getenv("DESKTOP_STARTUP_ID") or app_id
        #if startup_id:
        #    #builder.add_value(GLib.Variant('a{sv}', {'startup-id': GLib.Variant('s', startup_id)}))
        builder.close()

        parameters = builder.end()

        print 'Calling call_sync...'
        if files:
            print 'Open...'
            result = proxy.call_sync ("Open", parameters, Gio.DBusCallFlags.NONE, -1, cancellable)
        else:
            print 'Activate...'
            result = proxy.call_sync ("Activate", parameters, Gio.DBusCallFlags.NONE, -1, cancellable)

        print 'Result: ', result
        print 'Done.'

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main(*sys.argv)

[nrgaway]

I stopped working on it since it seemed you had corrected the issue. Want me to continue to work on it?

user@untrusted:~/src$ cat qubes-desktop-run
#! /usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# vim: set ft=python ts=4 sw=4 sts=4 et :

import sys
from gi.repository import Gio, GLib

def main(myname, desktop, *files):
    info = Gio.DesktopAppInfo()
    dbus_activate = False

    try:
        launcher = info.new_from_filename(desktop)
    except TypeError:
        launcher = None

    if launcher:
        dbus_activate = launcher.get_boolean('DBusActivatable')

    if not dbus_activate:
        launcher.launch(files, None)

    else:
        #import subprocess
        #if dbus_activate:
        #    print launcher.get_id().replace('.desktop', '')
        #    process = subprocess.Popen(['gapplication', 'launch', launcher.get_id().replace('.desktop', '')], close_fds=True)
        #return

        # (Gio.DBusConnection) – A Gio.DBusConnection
        session = Gio.bus_get_sync(Gio.BusType.SESSION, None)

        # (Gio.DBusProxyFlags) – Flags used when constructing the proxy.
        flags = Gio.DBusProxyFlags.NONE  

        # (Gio.DBusInterfaceInfo|None) – A Gio.DBusInterfaceInfo specifying the minimal interface that proxy conforms to or None.
        info = None

        # (str or None) – A bus name (well-known or unique) or None if connection is not a message bus connection.
        app_id = launcher.get_id()
        if app_id.endswith('.desktop'):
            app_id = app_id[:-8]

        # (str) – An object path.
        object_path = '/' + app_id.replace('.', '/').replace('-', '_')

        # (str) – A D-Bus interface name.
        interface_name = 'org.freedesktop.Application'

        # cancellable (Gio.Cancellable or None) – A Gio.Cancellable or None.
        cancellable = None

        proxy = Gio.DBusProxy.new_sync(session, 
                                       flags,
                                       info,
                                       app_id,
                                       object_path,
                                       interface_name,
                                       cancellable
                                       )

        builder = GLib.VariantBuilder.new(GLib.VariantType.new('r'))

        if files:
            builder.open(GLib.VariantType.new('as'))
            for filename in files:
                print 'Adding ', filename
                builder.add_value(GLib.Variant('s', filename))
            builder.close()

        builder.open(GLib.VariantType.new('a{sv}'))
        #startup_id = GLib.getenv("DESKTOP_STARTUP_ID") or app_id
        #if startup_id:
        #    #builder.add_value(GLib.Variant('a{sv}', {'startup-id': GLib.Variant('s', startup_id)}))
        builder.close()

        parameters = builder.end()

        print 'Calling call_sync...'
        if files:
            print 'Open...'
            result = proxy.call_sync ("Open", parameters, Gio.DBusCallFlags.NONE, -1, cancellable)
        else:
            print 'Activate...'
            result = proxy.call_sync ("Activate", parameters, Gio.DBusCallFlags.NONE, -1, cancellable)

        print 'Result: ', result
        print 'Done.'

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main(*sys.argv)

[marmarek]

Since apparently the issue also affects Fedora (where
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS is properly set), I think its good idea to
resurrect your patch.

Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

[marmarek]

Since apparently the issue also affects Fedora (where
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS is properly set), I think its good idea to
resurrect your patch.

Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

[nrgaway]

On 4 August 2015 at 12:45, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki <
notifications@github.com> wrote:

Since apparently the issue also affects Fedora (where
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS is properly set), I think its good idea to
resurrect your patch.

I'll work on it tonight; From what I recall it works by using DBUS to
activate when DBUS is available in .desktop file, otherwise I am not sure
if I implemented the exec functionally yet, but the hard stuff was working
(passing files works as well)

[nrgaway]

On 4 August 2015 at 12:45, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki <
notifications@github.com> wrote:

Since apparently the issue also affects Fedora (where
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS is properly set), I think its good idea to
resurrect your patch.

I'll work on it tonight; From what I recall it works by using DBUS to
activate when DBUS is available in .desktop file, otherwise I am not sure
if I implemented the exec functionally yet, but the hard stuff was working
(passing files works as well)

[marmarek]

Normal Exec= handling works well in the current solution. Of course it
would be better to not reimplement all of that and use some standard
way.
From what I see, the current implementation works well if the target
process is already running. If not, it is properly started, but somehow
method call got missed (so the first call fails, but the second
succeed). Maybe it would be enough to just trigger application start
(obtain dbus object handle?), then use the current one-liner
implementation (launcher.launch(files, None)).

Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

[marmarek]

Normal Exec= handling works well in the current solution. Of course it
would be better to not reimplement all of that and use some standard
way.
From what I see, the current implementation works well if the target
process is already running. If not, it is properly started, but somehow
method call got missed (so the first call fails, but the second
succeed). Maybe it would be enough to just trigger application start
(obtain dbus object handle?), then use the current one-liner
implementation (launcher.launch(files, None)).

Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

[nrgaway]

On 4 August 2015 at 13:26, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki <
notifications@github.com> wrote:

Normal Exec= handling works well in the current solution. Of course it
would be better to not reimplement all of that and use some standard
way.
From what I see, the current implementation works well if the target
process is already running. If not, it is properly started, but somehow
method call got missed (so the first call fails, but the second
succeed). Maybe it would be enough to just trigger application start
(obtain dbus object handle?), then use the current one-liner
implementation (launcher.launch(files, None)).

The script I pasted here works well for DBUS. I had tested with Debian and
Nautilus and it started Nautilus every time. It will activate when needed
and follows the standards.

One reason to start an application via DBUS is for security purposes since
apps started via DBUS are handled differently.

I'm actually pretty sure the script is actually mostly complete and will
handle DBUS and non DBUS. I just need to look for any other copies that
may be more recent.

if not dbus_activate:
launcher.launch(files, None)

[nrgaway]

On 4 August 2015 at 13:26, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki <
notifications@github.com> wrote:

Normal Exec= handling works well in the current solution. Of course it
would be better to not reimplement all of that and use some standard
way.
From what I see, the current implementation works well if the target
process is already running. If not, it is properly started, but somehow
method call got missed (so the first call fails, but the second
succeed). Maybe it would be enough to just trigger application start
(obtain dbus object handle?), then use the current one-liner
implementation (launcher.launch(files, None)).

The script I pasted here works well for DBUS. I had tested with Debian and
Nautilus and it started Nautilus every time. It will activate when needed
and follows the standards.

One reason to start an application via DBUS is for security purposes since
apps started via DBUS are handled differently.

I'm actually pretty sure the script is actually mostly complete and will
handle DBUS and non DBUS. I just need to look for any other copies that
may be more recent.

if not dbus_activate:
launcher.launch(files, None)

[marmarek]

Interesting - using launcher.launch(files, None) manually from python console works at first shot!
More interestingly just adding time.sleep(1) at the end of qubes-desktop-run also makes it working. So probably launcher.launch is an async call, which require script to be running until got finished (most likely to keep dbus connection active). So need to find a way to make this call synchronous, or wait for its completion.

Much more preferred than reimplementing part of launcher.launch method.

[marmarek]

Interesting - using launcher.launch(files, None) manually from python console works at first shot!
More interestingly just adding time.sleep(1) at the end of qubes-desktop-run also makes it working. So probably launcher.launch is an async call, which require script to be running until got finished (most likely to keep dbus connection active). So need to find a way to make this call synchronous, or wait for its completion.

Much more preferred than reimplementing part of launcher.launch method.

[nrgaway]

If you prefer a script... wrapper pseudo code: (or just add it in python script and do a subprocess to launch gapplication if grep DBusActivate $1 then # Launch DBUS application via gapplication gapplication $@ else # Not a DBUS app, lauch with old loader qubes-desktop-run.orig $@ fi

[nrgaway]

If you prefer a script... wrapper pseudo code: (or just add it in python script and do a subprocess to launch gapplication if grep DBusActivate $1 then # Launch DBUS application via gapplication gapplication $@ else # Not a DBUS app, lauch with old loader qubes-desktop-run.orig $@ fi

[marmarek]

Yes, this would be much better! I think better to use subprocess, because the current script already handles file parsing, so you can just check launcher.get_boolean('DBusActivatable').

[marmarek]

Yes, this would be much better! I think better to use subprocess, because the current script already handles file parsing, so you can just check launcher.get_boolean('DBusActivatable').

[nrgaway]

On 4 August 2015 at 14:39, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki <
notifications@github.com> wrote:

Yes, this would be much better! I think better to use subprocess, because
the current script already handles file parsing, so you can just check
launcher.get_boolean('DBusActivatable').

Sure thing, will take care of it tonight!

[nrgaway]

On 4 August 2015 at 14:39, Marek Marczykowski-Górecki <
notifications@github.com> wrote:

Yes, this would be much better! I think better to use subprocess, because
the current script already handles file parsing, so you can just check
launcher.get_boolean('DBusActivatable').

Sure thing, will take care of it tonight!